During the Iraq War, I had the privilege to fly as an Air Force Flight Engineer on the C-141C before its retirement from the Air Force inventory. The privilege to medivac patriots from the field of battle topped off a military career spanning some 28 years, and 6 different Air Force airframes. My career ended with escorting the C-141C named 65-0151 to the Bone yard at Davis Monthan Air Force Base for its final internment.
Thousands of Airmen had flown her from Vietnam to Baghdad. Some would say that this “American Made” aircraft was the most beloved airframe in the history of the Air Force. Its final flight found its forms clean with zero maintenance issues.
General Lichte is the present commander of the Air Mobility Command. He has made a decision to buy an already antiquated foreign made aircraft called the Airbus KC-45 to replace the KC-135. The magnitude of his failure to consider current aviation trends is grotesque and ridden with utter incompetence.
The Boeing KC-135
The KC-135 is an American made aircraft that has provided over 50 years of service to the Air Force. In addition, their airframe times are relatively little when compared to their civilian counterparts. The KC-135 was overbuilt to begin with and could be retrofitted and utilized indefinitely. The engineering and quality of the Boeing KC-135 is a thing of practical beauty. All other modern airframes of approximate size are a let down when compared to the beefy KC-135.
The Airbus 330-200 utilizes the same aluminum and rivet airframe technology as the KC-135. Purchasing the Airbus 330-200 will condemn the Air Force inventory and American tax base to several decades of already obsolete foreign made fuel guzzling technology.
Retro fitting
Although the country must take advantage of newer technologies for overall cost savings, the KC-135 airframe could retrofitted, and used for years to come. The Boeing Dream liner features several fuel and cost saving technologies. The fuselage and major components are manufactured from lighter stronger composite technology. The pressurization system is powered by electric motors. The avionic and flight control systems are a fraction of the weight of older technology and cutting edge. The engines no longer provide pressurization requirements and are much more fuel efficient. The Dream liner will provide a 20 percent reduction in fuel usage. The KC-135 could be retrofitted with the same pressurization and avionic components as the Dream Liner.
The Dreamliner
The Boeing Dreamliner technology is cutting edge. It is an American made product conceived and produced in a pure capitalist arena. Boeing has countered government subsidized and antiquated AirBus technology with innovation and extreme cost savings. If this newer technology is good for the commercial airlines (that have to fight to exist), it must be good for the American taxpayer.
Fuel savings over the long haul
These are hypothetical numbers for clarification only: The Dreamliner uses 20 percent less fuel than a comparatively sized older airframe . Let’s say the fuel consumption (fuel flow) at altitude for an A330 is 10,000 lbs per hour. The Fuel flow the Dreamliner would be 8,000 pounds per hour. Let us propose that the new tanker fleet is made up of 200 American made Dreamliner tankers. Each Dreamliner averages 1000 hours a year of flight time. Total fleet airframe usage time would be approximately 200,000 hours per year. Each one of these airframe hours would average 8,000 pounds of fuel consumption per hour. Total fleet fuel consumption would be approximately 1.6 billion pounds of fuel per year or 237 million gallons. If jet fuel is $3.50 per gallon annual fleet fuel costs would be approximately $850 million. A comparatively sized old school tanker like the Airbus 330-200 would cost 20 percent more in fuel costs or $1.020 billion. Extend this extra fuel usage over a 30 year period, add in rising fuel costs, and one can easily deduce the Dreamliner is much more efficient option. The extra cost of newer technology would pay for itself in less than 10 years.
American made
85 percent of the Dreamliner is made here in the USA. Even if a Dreamliner contract of 179 airplanes would cost $50 billion instead of the $40 billion price tag on the Airbus KC-45, $45 billion would be directly into the American economy. If one considers the multiplier effect of 15 times, this means over $600 billion worth of economic stimulus for the US of A. Subsidizing French manufacturing is unacceptable and sacrifices American jobs at a time when every penny will count here at home. General Lichte awarding a large military contract to a foreign country is the most unpatriotic incident in the 60 year history of the Air Force.
Our hard working citizens work everyday to pay the taxes in this country. They pay exorbitant costs for everything from living expense to college tuition. Off shoring continues to erode the middle class and tax base. The baby boomer generation will burden the tax base as never before. Considering all these Macroeconomic trends, General Lichte’s judgment and unpatriotic behavior require deeper investigation. It seems that he is all about the “Peter Principal”. I feel his fitness to command is very suspect. Personally, I feel he should resin and retire for his actions and the contract thrown out. The American military is only outfitted with American made weapon systems, and that is that!
Stephan Andrew Brodhead is a candidate for Congress and writes for www.TheConservativeVoice.com
